belgian WWII a/c camo question

The Buffalo was painted in approximations of the UK colours which varied noticably according to Dana Bell. The pictures I've seen certainly have more vivid colours as you've described. I could dig out the Dana Bell article if you'd like FS numbers. hth

The Keeper (of too much crap!)

Aha! Are you challenging me to a Crap-off?

8^)

(too much time and too many lives...)

According to Bell: "The Belgians had adopted RAF temperate land scheme before the war and appear to have requested Dark Earth, Dark Green, and aluminum colors on the Buffalos being built for them by Brewster in 1940." That's from Bell's treatise on "Export Colors" sold at the Virginia Beach Nationals.

In his article on Curtiss camouflage schemes in FSM 1-95 he mentions that the Dark Earth and Dark Green for RAF P-40's were approximations produced by Dupont. He states: "the Dark Earth was usually a shade similar to US Sand (AN

616, a little browner than FS 30279), the Dark Green resembled US Medium Green (AN 612, FS 34092.)"

Since these colors were lighter than the appearance on the Belgian machines it's tough to say what paint Brewster used. Most of the pictures of the Belgian machines are close ups of new machines. If they were taken with orthochromatic film rather than panchromatic film that might give a darker quality. There's a picture of a factory fresh machine on page 19 of the Squadron book that looks light and faded.

At this point the only conclusion I can reach is paint them British DE & DG. I'd darken them up a bit just to be comfortable. Until I get that time machine built there's not much more data I can provide. hth

The Keeper (of too much crap!)

I wonder why the Gladiators were painted in a real dark olive green. Was that just painted over the standard aluminium that RAF craft wore pre-war?

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Pre-war, most of the Belgian aircraft were painted initially in silver overall with black fuselage top. The color scheme changed to silver on the undersides and the lower half of the fuselage, the upper fuselage half and top side of the wings became dark olive green. The Gloster Gladiators were delivered in these last-mentioned colors. When war clouds thickened above continental Europe, urgent purchases were done and as such a bunch of Fiat CR.42's were delivered in standard Italian Air Force colours. The Fairey Battles retained RAF camouflage - reference to the rather bright colors in the initial posts concerns the aircraft as preserved in the Brussels Air Museum which, indeed, seems to have a rather vivid color scheme. Similarly, the Brewster Buffalo's were painted in an approximation of RAF colours - if these colors look different on contemporary pictures it is mostly due to the type of film used, certainly not because Belgium imposed its own paint regulations (in which case the Buffalo's would have been half silver + half olive green). I hope this helps you guys out !

Guido

It does indeed. Thanks muchly Guido.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

The Battles differed some from the stock British models. They weren't exactly 'off the shelf' something Airfix messed up on, among other things.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

From what I know belgian Hurricanes were as per RAF specs but were semi-gloss that is the difference in the pics.

Paolo